Lead vs. manage: Striking a balance - Civilian Jobs, Military to Civilian transitions, Jobs for Veterans - Navy Times

Lead vs. manage: Striking a balance

In a small business, your employees can make or break you. You’ve got to have smart, capable people. But because virtually all small businesses are understaffed, you need employees who are self-starters — people you can trust without being supervised constantly. But leave people entirely up to their own devices, and you’ll regret it. You need to understand the difference between being a leader and a manager.

Leader

Someone who provides guidance and direction; someone who illuminates and shows the way forward toward a goal. Sets high-level goals and strategy. A leader:

* Establishes clear standards and company values.

* Provides motivation and optimism.

* Creates a sense of teamwork and solicits input on strategies for various functions and business units.

* Identifies opportunities and threats companywide.

* Monitors and measures financial and organizational success.

* Empowers others to take action.

If you are only a leader, your vision is too grand. You don’t provide the day-to-day oversight and guidance you need to make sure that things are being done on time and on budget. Your customer service slips. Your profit margins shrink. And employees may feel you don’t care about or notice their personal performance.

Manager

Someone who takes a more hands-on approach. Rather than focusing on high-level goals, a manager helps people successfully fulfill responsibilities. A manager:

* Tells employees what needs to be done.

* Trains employees or arranges for training on how to do their jobs well.

* Solicits input from employees on procedures.

* Identifies opportunities and problems on a day-to-day level.

* Monitors and measures individuals’ success.

* Helps prevent things from going wrong.

If you are only a manager, your focus is too short sighted.You don’t provide the vision your company needs to survive and grow. You won’t respond to changing conditions, develop new business, or keep up with the competition. And your employees may not feel motivated or engaged.

Optimally, a small-business owner or entrepreneur should be able to switch back and forth between the two roles. Practically speaking, such a person is rare. But at the very least you should be conscious of the key attributes of each and strive to incorporate them into your working style.